Page:An English Garner Ingatherings from Our History and Literature (Volume 1 1877).pdf/97

 this frozen-hearted season, as it doth to look upon our own affliction. Our beasts are our faithful servants; and do their labour truly when we set them to it. They are our nurses that give us milk, they are our guides in our journeys, they are our partners and help to enrich our state; yea, they are the very upholders of a poor farmer's lands and living. Alas! then, what master that loves his servant as he ought, but would almost break his own heartstrings with sighing; to see these pine and mourn as they do? The ground is bare and not worth a poor handful of grass. The earth seems barren and bears nothing: or if she doth most unnaturally she kills it presently [at once] or suffers it through cold to perish. By which means the lusty horse abates his flesh and hangs his head, feeling his strength go from him; the ox stands bellowing, the ragged sheep bleating, the poor lamb shivering and starving to death.

The poor cottager that hath but a cow to live upon must feed upon hungry meals, GOD knows! when the beast herself hath but a bare commons. He that is not able to bid all his cattle home, and to feast them with fodder out of his barns; will scarce have cattle at the end of summer to fetch home his harvest. Which charge of feeding so many beastly [beasts] mouths, is able to eat up a countryman's estate; if his providence before time hath not been the greater to meet and prevent such storms. Of necessity our sheep, oxen, &c., must be in danger of famishing; having nothing but what our old grandam the earth will allow them to live upon. Of necessity must they pine; sithence [since] all the fruits that had wont to spring out of her fertile womb are now nipped in their birth, and likely never to prosper. And to prove that the ground hath her very heart as it were broken, and that she hath not lively sap enough in her veins left as yet to quicken her, and to raise her up to strength; behold this one infallible token. The Leek, whose courage hath ever been so undaunted that he hath borne up his lusty head in all storms, and could never be compelled to shrink for hail, snow, frost or showers; is now by the violence and cruelty of this weather beaten into the earth, being rotted, dead, disgraced, and trod upon.

And thus, Sir, if words may be taken for current payment to a creditor so worthy as yourself, have I tendered some